Printing arrangement for fluid dispensing apparatus



Nov. 19, 1968 M. BOTTLING 3,411,668

PRINTING ARRANGEMENT FOR FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 1 Filed Oct. 24, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 7

INVENTOR Manfred BOTTLI N6 his ATTORNEY Nov. 19, 1968 M. BOTTLING 3,411,668

PRINTING ARRANGEMENT FOR FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

Jill INVENTOR onfred BOTTLING his ATTORNEY Nov. 19, 1968 Filed Oct. 24, 1967 M. BOTTLING PRINTING ARRANGEMENT FOR FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Manfred BOTTLlNG his ATTORNEY United States Patent Claims. 61. 222-) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A printer for printing and discharging receipts of the amount paid for gasoline at a tank station has printing registers connected with the price calculating register and fluid volume register by couplings which are disengaged before the printing and during clearing of the printing registers. A switch actuating lever controlling the switch of the pump motor is inoperative when the discharge nozzle rests on the tank column, assumes a position of readiness when the nozzle is removed from its rest, and moves to an operative position closing the switch and starting the pump motor when the clearing of the printing register is completed. Foolproof locking devices prevent a wrong sequence of operation due to improper handling of the discharge nozzle.

Background of the invention Printers for printing a receipt stating the amount of fuel dispensed at a gas station, and also the price, on a receipt are known. Such printers are provided with interlocks which require a certain sequence of operations so that the printing wheels, and the register wheels indicating price and volume cannot be cleared during printing of the receipt. On the other hand, printing is prevented during the clearing operation. The locking and interlocking devices of the known printers of receipts for tank stations are adequate if the apparatus is served by skilled operators. However, the known printers do not assure the proper operation of coin-controlled fuel dispensing vending machines which require a foolproof operation and very few and simple manual operations so that the functions which have to be carried out are easily understood without: detailed directions for use.

A price calculator with automatic clearing device is known from the German Patent No. 1,188,334, in which the clearing is started by removal of the discharge nozzle from its'rest on the tank column, whereupon the motor of the pump which pumps the fuel out of an underground tank through the flow-meter, and discharge nozzle, is automatically started. When the discharge nozzle is returned to its rest, the switch by which the pump motor is controlled, is opened so that only a single manual operation is required and any improver operation by an unexperienced person is prevented.

It is an object of the invention to combine a receipt printer, which can be operated by manual turning of a handle, with a calculating and indicating register in such a manner that even with very simple directions, improper operations, the issue of two receipts, and disturbances are prevented, while the operation requires a simple manual operation.

The apparatus should operate in the following manner:

The receipt printer must be locked during the fuel dispensing and registering operation so that no wrong values are printed and the registering function is not disturbed when an attempt is made to operate the apparatus during this operation.

3,411,668 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 ice After each dispensing and registering operation, it should be impossible to print more than one receipt for the same dispensing operation. In this manner, a fraudulent use of duplicate receipts in dealing with the tax authorities is prevented.

The apparatus should be constructed so that it is left to the operator whether he wants a receipt printed after a dispensing operation, which means that the printing of a receipt is not required before the next dispensing operation is started.

The calculating and printing devices must be interlocked in such a manner that after start of the clearing device, the printer is locked, while on the other hand after start of the printing operation, the clearing devices of the printer, and of the volume and price indicating registers, must be locked. Printing and calculating must therefore take place at different times so that the printing wheels of the printers and the register wheels of the price calculator do not move, while on the other hand the turning movement of the register wheels during clearing is not interrupted by start of the printing operation. It is necessary that the interlocking devices serving this purpose are automatically disconnected when the printing of the receipt and the clearing of the registers has been completed, and the respective shafts have returned to an initial position after one full revolution. If this were not the case, additional manual operations would be required to permit the start of an operation after a preceding operation.

It is further necessary to align the printing wheels of the printing register so that the printing types representing digits are in a printing position opposite the paper sheet on which the amount is to be printed. Such alignment is necessary since the printing wheels of the printing registers may stop in intermediate positions, when the dispensing operation is stopped after a desired volume has been discharged. Before the printing wheels can be aligned, the connection between the volume and price registers and the printing registers must be interrupted so that the indications of the volume andprice registers are not changed. The separation of the registers is particularly required if the printing wheels of the lowest order register will print small units, such as cents, and therefore must rotate 10 times as fast than the number wheels of the lowest order of the volume and price registers, which indicate the units in the form of graduate lines.

It is also necessary to interrupt the connection between the indicating registers and the printing registers so that the printing wheels can be cleared and returned to a zero position independently of the register wheels of the volume and price indicating registers. This requirement is not only caused by the 1:10 ratio between the number of revolutions of the volume and price registers in relation to the printing register, but also by the preferred use of a heart cam clearing device.

It is also necessary that the control means by which the wheels of the printing register are alinged, release the printing register after the printing operation so that the clearing of the printing wheels is not obstructed.

Furthermore, before each dispensing operation, the register wheels of the volume and price calculating and indicating registers must be cleared and starting of the pump motor should be possible only after the completion of the clearing operation.

There are different ways of providing the power re quired for clearing the register wheels. In price calculators in which the calculating means are driven by a pcriodically wound-up spring motor, there is the possibility to wind-up the spring motor by the volume register during the dispensing operation. On the other hand, the spring motor can be wound-up by the discharge nozzle when the same is returned to a biased supporting rest on the tank column. The clearing operation is easily started by the removal of the discharge nozzle from its rest. While in power driven clearing devices and spring motor operated clearing devices in which the winding-up of the spring motor is effected by placing the discharge nozzle on its rest, the clearing operation immediately starts when the discharge nozzle is removed from its rest, the clearing operation under the control of the spring motor, where the same is wound-up by the register drive of the price calculator, takes place only once when the discharge nozzle is removed from its rest. In this case it may happen, that the clearing is completed, and the discharge nozzle is returned to its rest, without dispensing any fuel, so that the printer is unlocked and can be operated improperly. In order to prevent that after the clearing and during the printing operation fuel is dispensed, an additional locking device is required which prevents the start of the pump motor before the printing operation has been completed and the shaft by which the printing is manually controlled has been moved in one revolution to its initial angular position.

Summary of the invention It is the main object of the invention to provide a printing arrangement for a fuel dispensing apparatus which fulfills all the above stated requirements, and moreover assures a reliable simple operation, and a compact space-saving construction of the apparatus.

The present invention is an improvement of the printing arrangement disclosed in the German Patent No. 1,201,098, and of a price calculating register arrangement disclosed in the German Patent No. 1,188,334.

In accordance with the invention, the engagement and disengagement of couplings between the printing register and the price calculating register, and the aligning of the printing Wheels of the printing register to register integer numbers is effected by a control slide. Locking means which prevent the printing of several receipts for the same amount of dispensed fluid are connected by a linkage having disengageable coupling portions with the switch actuator of the ump motor.

In accordance with a preferred feature, the coupling portions of the linkage are disengaged by a control cam during the clearing operation so that the control slide is free to return to its initial position, and the locking device, which prevents the printing of duplicate receipts, is rendered ineffective during the printing operation so that this locking device is again effective.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a printer having a printing register connected by coupling means with an indicating register of a fuel dispensing tank station; clearing means for clearing the printing register; control means, preferably a reciprocable slide, for engaging and disengaging the coupling means; a switch actuator having a first position and an intermediate position for stopping the pump motor and a second position for starting the same; a biased movable support for a discharge nozzle; a manually turned operating shaft for operating the printer during one revolution thereof; locking means for locking the operating shaft in an initial position after each revolution; and linkage means connecting the nozzle support with a switch actuator, the switch actuator with the locking means, the nozzle support with the clearing means, and the switch actuator with the control means.

The switch actuator is in its first position when the nozzle rests on its support and is in the second position when the nozzle is removed from dispensing fuel. The locking means releases the operating shaft when the switch actuator is in its first position. The printer is cleared when the nozzle is removed from its support, and arresting means, controlled by the clearing means, hold the switch actuator in its intermediate position during clearing, and release the switch actuator after termination of the clearing operation. The switch actuator operates the control means so that the coupling means are disengaged during the clearing of the printer.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a schematic front view illustrating a tank station with price and volume indicating registers, and a printer for printing receipts indicating the paid amount and bought volume of fuel.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a printing and clearing arrangement including interlocking devices in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective schematic view illustrating the connection between the volume and price registers and corresponding printing registers;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 in another operational position;

FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c are fragmentary elevations illustrating parts of the apparatus in an initial position, during clearing, and after clearing, respectively; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the connection between a manually controlled shaft and the printer.

Descriplion of a preferred embodiment FIG. 1 shows the front plate 1 of a column at a gas station with windows 2, 3 and 4 behind which thenumber rows indicating the price of the dispensed fuel, the volume of the same, and control counter numbers. Brackets 5 and 6 are secured to the column and support the housing of a printer 7 by which receipts indicating the dispensed amount of fuel and the price of the same are printed and discharged. The paper reel 8 from which the receipts are cut off after printing, and a manually operated crank handle 11 which controls the operation of the' printer, and the discharge of the printed receipts, are also shown in FIG. 1, together with connecting shafts 9 and 10 which respectively connect the price indicating register and the volume indicating register with the printing registers of printer 7. Connecting shafts 9 and 10 are also shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

Shafts 9 and 10 are respectively connected with shafts 20 and 21 by gears trains 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, 17, 18, 19. Shaft 20 rotates in synchronism with the number wheel of the lowest order of the price indicating register, and shaft 21 rotates in synchronism with the number wheel of the lowest order of the volume indicating register which is driven in the usual maner by a flow meter driven by the dispensed fuel. Shafts 9 and 10 are connected by coupling means 22 and 23, respectively, with aligning star wheels 24, 25 and with shafts 26, 27 on which the outer parts of couplings 22, 23 and star wheels 24, 25 are fixed. Each star wheel has ten notches corresponding to the ten digits 0 to 9.

Gears 28 and 29 are respectively secured to shafts 26 and 27 and mesh with the drive gears 30 and 31 of the printing wheels 32, 33, respectively. Only one printing wheel 31 for printing the price, and one printing wheel 33 for printing the dispensed volume are shown in FIG. 3, but actually a printing register having an ordinal set of printing wheels 32 associated with the price, and an ordinal set of printing wheels 33, associated with the dispensed volume, are provided and the printing wheels of each printing register are connected by tens transfer means. At least five printing wheels 32 and 33, respectively, are provided in each printing register, and all printing wheels are mounted for free rotation on a common shaft 34. The printing wheels 32 will register the price indicated by the price indicating register behind Window 2, and the printing wheels 33 will indicate the volume in gallons or liters which are displayed behind window 3, so that by operation of the printer, a receipt showing the respective data can be produced.

After each dispensing operation, and before the next dispensing operation starts, it is necessary to clear the printer, and more particularly the two printing registers represented by printing wheels 32 and 33. This is effected in a conventional manner by a heart cam clearing device when the clearing shaft 35, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, is turned.

Since it is necessary that the printing wheel of the lowest order of each printing register prints an integer number even if the price and volume indicating registers are at the end of the dispensing operation in a position corresponding to a fractional value of the lowest monetary unit, and of the lowest unit indicating the volume, the printing wheels of the lowest order must be straightened out so that a printing face indicating a digit is located opposite the print receiving surface. This is effected by moving a control slide 48 from the position shown in FIG. 5b to the position shown in FIG. 5a engaging a notch of the respective star wheel 24 with a matching projection 54, and a notch of the star wheel 25 with a matching projection 55 as shown in FIG. 4. Control slide 48 is mounted for vertical movement and has slots 49 and 50 guided on stationary guide studs 51 and 52. A spring 53 biases control slide 48 upwards to the position of FIGS. 5b and 50.

It is necessary that during the adjustment of the star wheels 24 and 25, shafts 26 and 27 are free to turn relative to shafts 9 and 10, and consequently releasable couplings 22, 23 are provided in cylindrical cavities of star wheels 24, 25. Couplings 22 and 23 are one-way clutches of conventional construction having balls or rollers located in wedge-shaped cavities. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, slidable bushings 36 and 37 are mounted on shafts 9 and and are connected with disc 38 and39 having studs 40 and 41 cooperating with stationary cams 40' and 41, respectively. The fixed cams 40' and 41' have axially projecting lugs 42 and 43. Discs 38 and 39 are connected by links 44 and 45, and pins 46, 47 with control slide 48. Bushings 36, 37 and discs 38, 39 are mounted for turning movement on shafts 9 and 10, respectively so that raising and lowering of control slide 48 will cause turning of discs 38, 39 so that the same together with the respective bushing 36, 37 Will be shifted in axial direction due to the tracking of the cam lugs 42, 43 by the follower studs 40 and 41. Since bushings 36, 37 are respectively connected with the inner parts of couplings 22, 23, the couplings are engaged or disengaged in accordance with the position of control slide 48. During the downward movement of control slide 48, discs 38 and 39 are turned by links 44, 45 so that pins 40, 41 engage the lugs 42 and 43 of cams 40, 41 so that the bushings 36, 37 move to the left as viewed in the drawing and effect disengagement of the couplings 22, 23 before lugs 54, 55 engage the respective notches of star wheels 24, 25 and cause a relative turning movement between printing shafts 26, 27, and indicator shafts and 21.

It is also necessary that the couplings 22, 23 are disengaged when the printing registers are cleared under the control of the clearing shaft 35.

Control slide 48 has a substantially horizontal arm 74, see FIGS. 2 and 4, with a shoulder 48' which cooperates with a transverse projection 57 of a push rod 56 which is pivotally mounted on the arm 58 of a bellcrank lever 59 which is mounted on a stationary pivot pin 59' and has a second arm 61 carrying a stud 62 located in a slot 63 of a link 64 which is pivotally connected with another angular lever 65, 67 which is fixed on a shaft 66. Push rod 56 and angular lever 59 are connected by a spring 60 which urges projection 57 against the abutment face 48" adjacent shoulder 48. The projecting portion of control slide 48 below shoulder 48', and projection 57 constitute a coupling means for connecting or disconnecting push rod 56 with control slide 48. The upper position of hell crank lever 59 and of push rod 56 is defined by a stationary stop 58. A rod 68 is pivotally connected with arm 67 of angular lever 65, 67.

Clearing shaft 35 carries two fixed control cams 69 and 70. Each cam has a circular cam track portion, and a flat straight cam track portion 71 and 72, respectively. The straight edge 71 of control cam 69 extends in the position of rest of clearing shaft 35 parallel to the upper edge 73 of arm 74 of control slide 48, while the straight edge 72 of control cam is parallel to a vertical edge 56' of push rod 56 in the position of rest illustrated in FIG. 2. In the normal position of push rod 56, its straight edge 56' abuts the straight edge 72 of control cam 70, While the upper edge 73 of arm 74 of control slide 48 abuts the straight edge 72 of control cam 69. FIG. 2 illustrates a position in which control slide 48 is lowered to disengage couplings 22, 23 so that the edge 73 is shown spaced from edge 71.

Clearing shaft 35, which is shown partly broken off in FIGS. 2 and 4, carries a locking disc 75 of spiral shaped peripheral contour forming a locking portion 76 cooperating with a locking portion 77 of a double-armed locking lever 78 which is mounted on a pivot pin 78 for angular movement, and is biased by a spring 79 to engage locking disc 75. The arm 80 of locking lever 78 has a cam follower portion 81 which cooperates with a cam 82 which is fixed to a shaft 96 which is manually turned by a handle 11 for displacing locking lever 78 between a position locking disc 75 and clearing shaft 35, and the releasing position shown in FIG. 2 permitting free turning movement of the clearing shaft.

A second locking lever is also mounted on the pivot 78' and is biased by a spring 87 connected to its arm 84 to turn in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2. A one directional dog clutch is mounted on clearing shaft 35 and has a drive part axially shiftable and turnable on clearing shaft 35, and a driven part 89 fixed to clearing shaft 35 and having a projecting blocking portion 83 cooperating with arm 84 of locking lever 35. In the position illustrated in FIG. 2, blocking portion 83 blocks lever 85 against turning movement under the action of spring 87, but when clearing shaft 35 is turned out of this position, locking lever 85 will move to a position in which arm 86 of locking lever 85 is positione din the path of movement of a blocking lug 88 on cam 82.

The drive part 90 of clutch '89, 90 is secured to a pinion 91 meshing with a gear segment 93 carried by the clearing shaft 94 of the price calculating and indicating register, not shown. Cam 82 and blocking lug 88 on the hub of the same, are fixedly secured to a ratchet wheel 95 which is also fixed to operating shaft 96.

Ratchet wheel 95 cooperates with a pawl 97 mounted on a shaft 99 for angular movement and being biased by spring 98 into engagement with ratchet wheel 95. Shaft 99 is fixed on a wall of the housing, and carries a third locking lever 100 having an arm 100' with a locking projection 101, and another arm 102 carrying a locking pin 103 located in a recess 104 of rod 68 which is articulated to an angular lever 65, 67, as described above. The lower end portion 105 is connected by spring 106 with arm 100' of locking lever 100 so that locking projection 101 is urged into a recess 109 on a locking disc 108 which is fixedly secured to a cam 107 cooperating with the lower portion 105 of rod 68. Locking disc 108 and cam 107 are fixedly secured to shaft 96 which also carries a fixed-gear 110 meshing with a gear 111 secured to a shaft 113 which carries a transporting roller 112, as shown in FIG. 6. Transporting roller 112 transports a printed receipt formed of a paper band on reel 8, see FIG. 1, out of a slot in the housing of the printer 7.

The printing of the receipt is efiected by the power of a spring 114 acting on a printing lever 115 which has a follower roller cooperating with the spiral shaped peripheral cam track of a printing cam 113' which is secured to shaft 96. When crank handle 11 is manually operated, shaft 96 turns printing cam 113' until the cam follower of lever 115 drops from the highest cam track portion to the lowest cam track portion of the printing cam so that printing shaft 116 is turned together with forked levers 117 and 118 which have recesses for receiving means connecting the same with the printing hammer of the printer, not shown.

Clearing shaft 94 of the price calculating and indicating register is fixedly connected with a clearing member 119 which has several arms including an arm having a gear segment 120, another arm 121 connected with a spring 135, and a third arm 122 carrying a fixed stop 122a, and a pivotally mounted pawl 123. Arm 122 also has a projecting portion 124 cooperating with an arresting member 125 which is mounted for turning movement on a wall portion and has a nose 126 cooperating with a projecting lug 127 on an arm 128 of a double-armed switch actuating lever 129 whose other arm 130 carries a permanent magnet 131 by which the magnetically controlled pump motor switch 132 is operated to energize or de-energize the motor, not shown, by which the fuel dispensing pump, not shown, is driven. A connecting link 133 connects arm 130 of switch actuating lever 129 with an arm 134 fixed to shaft 66 which carries angular lever 65. Spring 135 effects the clearing of the price calculating ad indicating register.

Switch actuating lever 129 is mounted for turning movement on a pivot pin 136 and biased by spring 137 to move to a position in which permanent magnet 131 is located adjacent motor switch 132 and causes closing of the contacts of the same.

Another stationary pivot pin 138 supports an angular lever 139 having an arm 140 provided with a projecting portion 141 which cooperates with arm 128 of the switch actuating lever 129. A link 143 connects the other arm 142 with an arm 144 which is turnably mounted on the clearing shaft 94 and has a nose 145 cooperating with a tooth of pawl 123. Another arm 146 is secured to arm 144 and connected by a link 147 with a supporting lever 148 which is mounted on a stationary shaft 149 and forms a rest for a discharge nozzle 150. The supporting lever 148 is mounted on the column and supports the discharge nozzle 150 in a position of rest when no gasoline is dispensed. Arm 146 and thereby supporting lever 148 are biased by spring 151.

Arm 142 of angular lever 139 carries a pivoted clearing level 153 having a fixed pin 154 controlling two locking pawls 155 and 156 which cooperate with the clearing member 119. Gear segment 120 of clearing member 119 meshes with a pinion 159 which drives a control cam 160 by which the price calculating and indicating register, not shown, is cleared to indicate zero. This clearing opera tion is well known and, for example, described in the German Patent 1,188,334.

Operation When the discharge nozzle 150 is not in use, it is sus pended on the tank column resting in supporting lever 148 which is in the position shown in FIG. 2. When discharge nozzle 150 was placed on supporting lever 148, the same was turned about pivot 149 in clockwise direc-' tion so that clearing member 119 was turned through the linkage 147, 146, 144, 145, 123 in clockwise direction against the action of spring 135 to its initial position in which it is locked by engagement between locking stud 122a and locking pawl 155. Since the linkage is connected by link 143 to lever 139, the same was turned in counterclockwise direction to the illustrated initial position in which its projection 141 depresses arm 128 of switch actuating lever 129 so that its lug 127 is spaced from the arresting nose 126 of lever arm 125. Permanent magnet 131 is raised by arm 130 so that the contacts of motor switch 132 are open and the pump motor disconnected from the source of power so that the pump does not operate.

Pin 154 of lever 153 was placed by the moving link 143 in a position of readiness for releasing locking pawls 155 and 156 which arrest clearing member and block movement of the same under the action of clearing spring 135.

Furthermore, when the discharge nozzle 150 was placed on supporting lever 148 and the linkage operated, as explained above, the turning of arm 146 caused turning of clearing shaft 94 with gear segment 93 in clockwise direction so that pinion 91, and also part 90 of the one directional clutch 89, 90 were turned in counterclockwise direction without influencing the position of the driven clutch part 89 with locking disc 75.

The counterclockwise displacement of switch actuating lever 129 is transmitted by link 1333 to lever arm 134 and shaft 66 so that angular lever 65 was also turned in clockwise direction to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 so that connecting link 64 was shifted to the left and angular lever 61 was turned in counterclockwise direction and push rod 56 was moved downwards whereby projecting portion 57 acted on shoulder 48 of control slide 48 to move the same downwards until the stationary pins 51 and 52 were located at the upper ends of slots 49 and 50.

In this position of control slide 48, the wedge-shaped projections 54 and 55 of control slide 48 engage corresponding notches in star wheels 24, 25 to place the printing wheels 32, 33 of the lowest orders of the two printing registers in positions in which printing faces representing digits in the lowest order confront the writing surface, irrespective of the fact that the cost of the actually discharged amount of fuel would be more accurately represented by the fraction of a cent.

The downwardly moving control slide 48 turns through linkage 46, 44 and linkage 67, 45 control discs 38 and 39 so that bushings 36, 37 are moved in axial direction due to cam lugs 42, 43 and cause disengagement of couplings 22, 23 so that the angular adjustment of the printing wheels is not transferred to the register wheels of the price indicating register and the volume indicating register which are located behind the windows 2 and 3 in FIG. 1.

The turning movement transmitted from switch actuating lever 129 through linkage 133, 134, 66 to lever 65, also caused, during the placement of the discharge nozzle 150 on its supporting lever, also movement of rod 68 so that pin 103 in recess 104 of rod 68 was pushed downward, and locking lever 100 was turned in clockwise direction whereby locking projection 101 was moved out of recess 109 of locking disc 108-. Consequently it is possible to turn shaft 96 by manually operated handle 11, as required for a printing operation at the end of the dispensing of fuel which is followed by a return of discharge nozzle 150 to its supporting lever 148.

In the fuel dispensing operatic-n preceding the return of nozzle 150 to its rest, a flow meter, not shown, driven by the discharged amount of fuel, had turned the volume indicating register and the price indicating register, and the totals indicated by these registers are now to be printed by the two printing registers, respectively represented by printing wheels 32 and 33.

The printing of the receipt with the discharged volume and the price of the same, and the discharge of the receipt through a slot in the housing, is accomplished under the control of the manually operated crank handle 11 during a single revolution of the same with operating shaft 96.

At the start of the turning movement of crank handle 11, the printing rollers are adjusted so that all printing faces are aligned, whereupon printing lever 115 drops from the high cam track portion to the low cam track portion of printing cam 113', as shown in FIG. 6 so that the printing hammer is driven by levers 117 and 118 by the force of spring 114 against the printing faces of the printing wheels 32 and 33. A paper band located between the printing hammers and the printing wheels 32, 33 is pressed against an inking ribbon which abuts the printing faces of printing wheels 32, 33 so that imprints of the registered values are made.

During this part of the turning movement of shaft 95, cam 107 and locking disc 108 are turned in counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, together with cam 82 and blocking lug 88. At the beginning of the turning movement, cam follower portion 81 of locking lever 80 is released by the dwell of cam 82 so that the locking portion 77 at the end of arm 78 of locking lever 80 assumes a position for blocking movement of locking portion 76 whereby the clearing shaft 35 is locked against turning movement directly after the start of turning movement of crank handle 11.

Since arm 84 of lever 85 abuts cam finger 83 in the initial position so that lever arm 86 is in a position located outside of the path of movement of blocking lug 88, shaft 96 could turn, and the printing operation could take place. After shaft 96 has been turned about 270, cam 107 acts on arm 105 of rod 68 to push the same to the right so that pin 103 is released by recess 104 and locking lever 100 is free to follow the pull of spring 106 to turn in counterclockwise direction so that the locking projection 101 again engages the recess 109 in locking disc 108 at the end of the revolution of shaft 96 whereby shaft 96 is again locked. A rearward turning of crank handle 11 is blocked by arresting pawl 97 which engages ratchet Wheel 95. Locking lever 100 with locking projection 101 and locking disc 108 constitute a locking means which permits only a single revolution of shaft 96, and consequently prevents a repeated printing of the same values on successive receipts which would result in undesired duplication of receipts for fraudulent purposes.

Before another printing operation can be carried out, it is necessary to pull the lower part 105 of rod 68 upward so that recess 104 can again receive pin 103, whereupon a downward movement of recess 104 must follow by which locking projection 101 is moved out of recess 109 of blocking disc 108.

During the turning of operating shaft 96, the partial gear 110 is also turned which after half a revolution, starts to turn the mutilated pinion 111 with the paper roller 112 so that the portion of the paper band forming the-receipt is discharged through a slot in the housing, not shown, and is cut off or torn off so that the customer can take the receipt.

Locking disc 108 has, aside from recess 109, a circular periphery for holding the locking lever 101 in the same position until recess 109 passes locking projection 101. Furthermore, the lower portion 105 of rod 68 has a projection 104' adjacent recess 104 for preventing an improper operation of the printing rneans.

As is known from the German Patent 1,188,334, price calculators with automatic clearing devices are known in which the clearing spring is not tensioned by placing the discharge nozzle on its rest, but by driving the price calculator register at the beginning of the respective fluid dispensing operation. In such a clearing arrangement, the clearing spring is not tensioned every time the discharge nozzle is placed on its rest which means that the clearing operation after the dispensing operation only takes place when the discharged nozzle is removed from its rest. If in such a clearing arrangement, the clearing has taken place after removal of the discharge nozzle from its rest, the clearing member, corresponding to clearing member 119 of the present invention, remains, after return of the discharge nozzle to its rest, in a position in which lug 124 of arm 122 of clearing member 119 is in the position shown inFIG. c in which lug 127- of arm 128 of switch actuating lever 129 is not influenced by the locking projection 126 of lever arm 125, If this happens, and if the discharge nozzle 150 is taken off the rest a second time, switch actuating lever 129 would follow the movement of lever 139 and close the motor switch 132.

It may happen that after a completed clearing operation and return of the discharge nozzle to its rest, a person improperly turns crank handle 11 whereupon, before completion of a revolution of shaft 96, the discharge nozzle is taken off the rest and fuel dispensed.

This would make it possible to dispense fuel during the printing operation, even if the crank handle 11 is not returned to its initial position. Evidently, such an improper operation must be prevented under all circumstances because it may result in disturbances and damage to the printing registers. For example, the printing wheels may be driven while the respective drive gears of the same are still engaged by the aligning rack.

Such undesirable operations are avoided and prevented in accordance with the invention by the shape of locking disc 108 and by the projecting lug 104' in a very simple manner. The switch actuating lever, which is connected by linkage 133, 134, 66, 67 with rod 68, cannot follow the angular movement of lever arm 140 of angular lever 139 since pin 103 engages the projecting lug 104' while locking projection 101 slides on the circular periphery of locking disc 108, and locks rod 68 against upward movement under the action of spring 137 even if cam 107 has displaced the lower portion of rod 68 so far to the right that pin 103 is no longer located in the recess 104. In this manner, it is assured that during a started, but not completed printing operation, no gasoline can be dispensed since the start of the pump motor by switch 132 and switch actuating lever 129 is prevented so that no rotation of the number wheels of the price calculating and indicating register and of the printing wheels of the printer can take place.

Only if crank lever 11 has been manually turned to its initial position in a single revolution, locking projection 101 can drop into the recess 109 of locking disc 108, while arm 102 of locking lever 101 with pin 103 releases rod 68 for movement under the action of spring 137 so that switch actuating lever 129 closes switch 132 and starts the pump motor. By providing a circular peripheral edge on locking disc 108, and by providing the projection 104' for temporarily locking rod 68, repeated printing is prevented by very simple and inexpensive parts which nevertheless obtain the locking of the apparatus for preventing an undesirable operation.

Clearing and dispensing While printing due to operation of crank handle 11 can take place only if discharge nozzle 150 is supported on its rest 148, the clearing operation and the starting of the pump motor does not depend on whether or not a receipt was printed for the preceding dispensing operation and sale of fuel. The clearing of the number wheels of the price calculating and indicating register and of the printing wheels 32, 33 of the receipt printer 7, is started by taking discharge nozzle 150 oif its supporting lever 148 so that the same is turned on pivot 149 by spring 151 in counterclockwise direction. At the same time, angular lever 139 is turned by the linkage 144, 143 in clockwise direction so that pin 154 moves locking pawl-s 155 and 156 out of locking positions locking the clearing member 119 so that clearing spring can turn the same with shaft 94 in counterclockwise direction. While lever arm of angular lever 139 is tilted with lug 141, spring 137 pulls arm 138 of switch actuating lever 129 from the position of FIG. 2 towards the arresting nose 126 of lever arm 125 so that switch actuating lever 129 assumes the position shown in FIG. 5b. This small angular displacement of arm 128 is transmitted by arm 130, link 133 and lever arm 134 to shaft 66 which angularly displaces lever 65 and through link 64 also angular lever '59 so that push rod 56 is raised, permitting control slide 48 to move under the action of spring 53 to a higher position in which the wedge-shaped projections 54 and 55 no longer engage the star wheels 24 and 25, while pins 40* and 41 still engage the lugs 42 and 43 of the cams 40' and 41' so that clutches 22 and 23 are still disengaged, as explained with reference to FIG. 3. The release of the star wheels 24, 25 takes place before the clearing operation which starts with the turning of clearing member 119 and of clearing shafts 94 and 35. The clearing of the number wheels of the price calculating and indicating register is carried out in the usual manner, for example as disclosed in the German Patent 1,188,334 by turning disc 160.

The clearing of the printing wheels 32, 33 of the receipt printer is effected in the conventional manner by a heart cam clearing mechanism which is operated by the printer clearing shaft 35 when the same is operated through the one directional clutch 80, 90 and the transmission 91, 93 to turn in clockwise direction. Turning of printer clearing shaft 35 is only possible if the blocking lug of cam 82 holds locking lever 78 in the illustrated position in which the locking portion 77 does not lock locking disc 75 by engaging the projecting portion 76. At the beginning of the turning movement, blocking portion 83 of the driven clutch part 89 releases arm 84 of locking lever 85 so that arm 86 moves under the action of spring 87 to a position located in the path of movement of the blocking lug 88 which is fixed to operating shaft 96 so that the same is blocked against turning movement in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2.

Turning of printer clearing shaft 35 causes turning of control earns 69 and 70 so that cam 70 acts on push rod 56 and cam 69 acts on the edge 73 of control slide 48. Due to the turning of control cam 70 out of the position shown in FIG. 2, the end of push rod 56 is moved to the left as viewed in the drawing so that the coupling projection 57 is disengaged from the coupling projection 48 of control slide 48 and the same is released for movement by spring 53 in upward direction. This movement of control slide 48 is stopped due to the continued rotation of control cam 69 when the same assumes a position in which the edge 71 is no longer located opposite the edge 73 of control slide 48, which was the case in the initial position of rest of the clearing shaft 35.

Control cams 69, 70 also serve the purpose of preventing an improper operation of the apparatus which would obstruct the clearing of the printer, for example the return of the discharge nozzle 150 to its rest 148 before the clearing operation has been completed. If this would happen, supporting lever 148 would be operated by the discharge nozzle 150 and would move arm 140 of angular lever 139 downward through the transmission 147, 146, 145, 144, 143 so that arm 128 of switch actuating lever 129 would be returned to its initial position shown in FIG. a so that control slide 48 with its wedgeshaped projections 54 and 55 would again engage star wheels 24, by which the printing wheels 32, 33 are locked against turning movement. When during the following operations, push rod 56 is displaced by control cam 70 to release control slide 48, control disc 69 must hold control slide 48 during the clearing operation in the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5b in which the star wheels 24 and 25 and couplings 22 and 23 are free to turn.

As regards the price calculator, shortly before the termination of the clearing operation, lug 124 of clearing member 119 turns the arresting member 125 in counterclockwise direction to a position in which arresting nose 126 releases lever arm 128 of switch actuating lever 129 so that spring 137 turns the same to a position operating motor switch 132, provided that discharge nozzle was not previously returned to its rest 148. If this has happened, motor switch 132 cannot start the pump motor because switch actuating lever 129 is held by the blocking lug 141 of lever 139 and cannot assume a switch closing position.

It will be understood that the return of the discharge nozzle during the clearing operation is an incorrect procedure, and that normally discharge nozzle 150 is taken off rest 148 only for a gasoline dispensing operation which takes a certain time so that after the termination of the clearing operation, the switch actuating lever 129 turns in clockwise direction and actuates motor switch 132. The angular displacement of switch actuating lever 129 is transmitted to rod 68 by the transmission 133, 134, 66, 67 so that rod 68 is raised and pin 103 of locking lever 100 can move into recess 104 if a printing operation has been completed before the clearing. Spring acts on push rod 56 and bell crank lever 59 so that push rod 56 follows the movement of link 64 towards the right so that the coupling portion '57 of push rod 56 again engages the coupling portion 48' of control slide 48 which is possible after a completed clearing operation since control cams 69 and 70 have again returned to the initial position of FIG. 2.

Since in this position of printer clearing shaft 35, th edge 71 of control cam 69 is again located opposite and parallel to the edge 73 of control slide 48, the latter can move under the action of spring 53 to the position shown in FIG. 50 in which not only the star Wheels 24 and 25 are released, but also couplings 22 and 23 are again engaged due to the rearward turning of discs 38 and 39 and the movement of the follower pins 40 and 41 off the lugs 42 and 43 of the stationary cams 40 and 41. When follower pins 40 and 41 are located opposite a recessed cam portion of the respective cam 40, 41', a spring, not shown, within bushing 36, 37 moves the same in the direction toward the cams 40', 41 in axial direction so that couplings 22, 23 are again engaged so that the entire apparatus, including the price calculating and indicating register and the printer for printing receipts is again ready for the next following fuel dispensing and registering operation. Blocking portion 83, which is fixedly connected by clutch portion 89 to the clearing shaft 35, is again in its initial position and has turned locking lever 84, 85, 86 to the releasing position in which operating shaft 96 is no longer blocked by the cooperation of blocking lug 88 with the end of arm 86.

Since discharge nozzle 150 is not supported on the rest 148 during the dispensing operation, locking portion 101 on arm of locking lever 100, which is controlled by rod 68, is located in the recess 109 of locking disc 108 which is fixed on operating shaft 96 and blocks the same, preventing a turning of shaft 96 by manual operation of crank handle 11 during the dispensing and registering operations. Only when the dispensing operation has been completed, and discharge nozzle returned to its rest, all parts of the mechanism are returned to the normal position of readiness shown in FIG. 2 in which the pump motor is disconnected from the power source, couplings 22 and 23 are disengaged, star wheels 24 are straightened out and blocked by control slide 48, and locking lever 100 with locking projection 101 is in a position releasing recess 109 of locking disc 108 so that operating shaft 96 is unlocked.

When crank handle 11 is now manually turned, a receipt is printed which indicates the price indicated by the number wheels 32, and the dispensed volume of fuel.

If discharge nozzle is improperly returned to its rest 148 during the clearing operation, push rod 56 is released only if discharge nozzle 150 is again taken off its rest 148. Push rod 56 is released for return of a coupling portion 57 to the coupling position engaging coupling portion 48' of control slide 48 only after discharge nozzle 150 has again been removed from its rest 148. Control slide 48 is not blocked against movement to the position shown in FIG. 50.

From the above description of a preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that the present invention provides a printer for printing the price and volume indicated by a price calculating and indicating register and by a volume measuring and indicating register which can be manually operated by an unskilled person in a fool-proof manner since the several locking means of the invention prevent any improper operation of the apparatus, without requiring an extensive training of the operator. The printing of the receipt can be carried out even by the person buying the gasoline, and the only instruction needed is Print receipt only when discharge nozzle is on its rest.

From the above description of a preferred embodiment it will become apparent that the printing arrangement of the invention comprises a printer having printing registers 32, 33 connected by coupling means 22, 23 with price indicating register shaft 20 and volume indicating register shaft 21; clearing means 119, 135 for clearing the printing register; control means 48, 46, 44, 40', 42, 40, 38 for engaging and disengaging the coupling means 22, 23; a switch actuator 129 having a first position and an inter-mediate position shown in FIGS. a and 5b for stopping the pump motor by opening switch 132, and a second position shown in FIG. 50, for starting the same; a biased support 148 for discharge nozzle 150; first linkage means 139 to 147 connecting support 148 with switch actuator 129; a manually turned operating shaft 96 for operating the printer; locking means 100, 101, 107, 108, 109 for locking operating shaft 96 in an initial position after each revolution; second linkage means 133, 134, 66, 65, 68, 105 for connecting switch actuator 129 with locking means 100, 103; third linkage means 147, 145, 123 connecting support 148 with clearing means 119, and including arresting means 125 for holding switch actuator 129 in the intermediate position of FIG. 5b during clearing; and fourth linkage means 133, 66, 65, 64, 61 connecting switch actuator 129 with control means 48.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of printing arrangements for printing the price of dispensed fuel differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a printing arranged and controlled by the switch actuator of the pump motor and by the discharge nozzle of a fuel dispensing apparatus and having means for preventing printing during clearing, and clearing during printing, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown; since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the stand-point of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. In combination with a fluid dispersing apparatus including a pump motor, a discharge nozzle, and an indicating register for the fluid pumped through said discharge nozzle; a receipt printing arrangement comprising a printer having at least one printing register; coupling means connecting said printing register with said indicating register; clearing means for clearing said printing register; control means for engaging and disengaging said coupling means; a switch actuator having a first position and an intermediate position for stopping said pump motor and a second position for starting the same; a biassed movable support for said discharge nozzle; first linkage means connecting said support with said switch actuator so' that the same is in said first position when said nozzle rests on said support, and is in said second position when said nozzle is removed from the same; a manually turned operating shaft for operating said printer during one revolution thereof; locking means for locking said operating shaft in an initial position after each revolution; second linkage means connecting said switch actuator with said locking means so that said locking means releases said operating shaft when said switch actuator is in said first position; third linkage means connecting said support with said clearing means so that said printer is cleared when said nozzle is removed from said support, and including arresting means controlled by said clearing means for holding said switch actuator in said intermediate position during clearing and for releasing said switch actuator after termination of the clearing operation; and fourth linkage means connecting said switch actuator with said control means so that saidcoupling means are disengaged during clearing of said printer.

2. Printing arrangement is claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means is held by said switch actuator in said first position in an operative position aligning said printing register and disengaging said coupling means, and is held by said switch actuator in said second position in an inoperative position releasing said printing register and engaging said coupling means.

3. Printing arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein said control means includes a biassed control slide; wherein said fourth linkage includes a coupling; and wherein said clearing means disengage said coupling during the clearing operation so that return of said nozzle to said support does not influence the position of said switch actuator.

4. Printing arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said control slide has a coupling projection; wherein said fourth linkage means include a biassed push rod having a coupling portion cooperating with said coupling portion, said coupling portions constituting said coupling; wherein said clearing means include a cam for moving during the clearing operation said push rod to a position in which said coupling portions are separated and said coupling disengaged.

5. Printing arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein said clearing means include another cam for limiting movement of said control slide during the clearing operation to a position in which said control slide releases said printing register for free turning movement, but holds said coupling means in said disengaged position while said switch actuator is in said intermediate position.

6. Printing arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second linkage means include a member for holding said locking means in a locking position, and operated by said switch actuator in said first position to release said locking means, and including a cam on said operating shaft for moving said member to a position in which said locking means is free to lock said operating shaft.

7. Printing arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said member has a recess; wherein said locking means include a locking lever having a first pin normally located in said recess and released by the same due to the action of said cam on said rod; said locking means including a locking disk on said operating shaft having a circular track for said locking lever and a cutout in said track for receiving said locking lever in said locking position whereby said operating shaft is locked after one revolution, said member being operated by said cam to move said locking lever to a position in which the same slides on said circular track during turning movement of said operating shaft whereby said second linkage;

said clearing means includes a clearing shaft and a blocking portion on said clearing shaft; a locking lever biassed to engage said blocking portion when said clearing means is inoperative, and moving to an operative position when said clearing shaft turns and displaces said blocking portion; and a blocking lug on said operating shaft engaged by said locking lever in said operative position so that turning of said operating shaft is blocked during turning of said clearing shaft.

10. Printing arrangement as claimed in claim 9 including a locking disk on said clearing shaft, another locking lever having an inoperative position and a locking position engaging said locking disk so that said clearing shaft is locked, biassing means urging said other locking lever to said locking position; and a cam lug on said operating shaft holding said other locking lever in said locking position only in the initial position of said operating shaft so that said other locking lever locks said clearing shaft during turning of said operating shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bradley 22235 X Robinson 222-30 Swank 2223 0 Robinson 22230 Settlemire 222-35 X Haupt et al 22230 X Wright et al. 22230 Dekker 222-30 Simpson 22230 Herbst 22230 X Manke 222-3O SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

